Manipulating a formula for a relativistic Doppeler shift

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Homework Statement


The spaceship is approaching Earth with a speed ##\scriptsize 0.6c## under an angle
of ##\scriptsize 30^\circ##. What frequency does an observer on Earth measure if
spaceship is sending frequency ##\scriptsize 1.00\cdot10^9Hz##.

Homework Equations



Lets say we take the standard configuration when ##\scriptsize x'y'## is moving away from system ##\scriptsize xy## (image 1). By knowing that the phase is constant in all frames ##\scriptsize \phi=\phi'## we can derive the Lorenz transformations for a standard configuration.

Derivation (using the parametrization):
\begin{align}
\phi &= \phi'\\
-\phi &= -\phi'\\
k \Delta r - \omega \Delta t &= k' \Delta r'- \omega'\Delta t'\\
[k_x , k_y , k_z][\Delta x , \Delta y , \Delta z] - \omega \Delta t &= [{k_x}'\! , {k_y}'\! , {k_z}'][\Delta x'\! , \Delta y'\! , \Delta z']\! - \!\omega'\Delta t'\\
k_x \Delta x + k_y \Delta y + k_z \Delta z - \omega \Delta t&= {k_x}'\Delta x' + {k_y}' \Delta y' + {k_z}' \Delta z'\! - \!\omega' \Delta t'\\
{k_x} \gamma \Bigl(\!\Delta x' + u\Delta t' \!\Bigl) + {k_y} \Delta y' + {k_z} \Delta z' - \omega \gamma \left(\Delta t' + \Delta x' \frac{u}{c^2}\right)&= ...\\
{k_x} \gamma \Delta x' + k_x \gamma u\Delta t' + {k_y} \Delta y' + {k_z} \Delta z' - \omega \gamma \Delta t' - \omega \gamma \Delta x' \frac{u}{c^2}&= ...\\
\gamma \Bigl(\!k_x - \omega \frac{u}{c^2}\! \Bigl) \Delta x' + k_y \Delta y' + k_z \Delta z' - \gamma \Bigl(\omega - {k_x} u \Bigl) \Delta t' &= k_x' \Delta x' + k_y' \Delta y' + k_z' \Delta z' - \omega' \Delta t'\\
\end{align}
Lorentz transformations and their inverses (are derived similarly):
\begin{align}
&\boxed{\omega' = \gamma\Bigl(\omega - {k_x} u \Bigl)} & &\boxed{\omega = \gamma\Bigl(\omega' + {k_x}' u \Bigl)}\\
&\boxed{k_x' = \gamma \Bigl(k_x - \omega \frac{u}{c^2} \Bigl)} & &\boxed{k_x = \gamma \Bigl(k_x' + \omega' \frac{u}{c^2} \Bigl)}\\
&\boxed{k_y' = k_y} & &\boxed{k_y = {k_y}'}\\
&\boxed{k_z' = k_z} & &\boxed{k_z = {k_z}'}
\end{align}
We can express Lorentz transformations and their inverse using some trigonometry (##\scriptsize k_x = k \cos{\xi} = \frac{\omega}{c} \cos{\xi}##, ##\scriptsize k_y = k \sin{\xi} = \frac{\omega}{c} \sin{\xi}## and ##\scriptsize k_z = 0##) as:
\begin{align}
&\boxed{\omega' = \gamma \, \omega \! \Bigl(1 - \cos{\xi} \frac{u}{c} \Bigl)}& &\boxed{\omega = \gamma \, \omega' \! \Bigl(1 + \cos{\xi'}\frac{u}{c} \Bigl)}\\
&\boxed{k_x' = \gamma \, \frac{\omega}{c} \! \Bigl(\cos{\xi} - \frac{u}{c} \Bigl)}& &\boxed{k_x = \gamma \, \frac{\omega'}{c} \! \Bigl(\cos{\xi'} + \frac{u}{c} \Bigl)}\\
&\boxed{k_y' = \frac{\omega}{c} \sin{\xi}} & &\boxed{k_y = \frac{\omega'}{c} \sin{\xi'}}\\
&\boxed{k_z' = k_z} & &\boxed{k_z = {k_z}'}
\end{align}

The Attempt at a Solution





If i draw the picture in black color (image 2) it occurred to me that solving this case could be possible by simply using a relativistic Doppeler effect shift equation for 2 bodies which are closing in (in which i would use the ##\scriptsize u_x = u \cdot \cos 30^\circ##).

$$\nu = \nu' \sqrt{\frac{c+u_x}{c-u_x}} \approx 1.78\cdot 10^8Hz$$

Am i allowed to solve this case like this?

I wasnt so sure about the above solution, so i tried to get the similar situation to the one i had in image 1. I noticed that if i rotate coordinate systems (image 2 - systems which are colored in red) i get fairly similar configuration, with the ##\scriptsize \xi## and ##\scriptsize u## a bit different than the ones in image 1. I wonder how do the Lorentz transformation change? Can anyone tell me?
 
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Im not sure which images you are talking about...you sure they were uploaded correctly?
 
spaderdabomb said:
Im not sure which images you are talking about...you sure they were uploaded correctly?

Yes.
 
To solve this, I first used the units to work out that a= m* a/m, i.e. t=z/λ. This would allow you to determine the time duration within an interval section by section and then add this to the previous ones to obtain the age of the respective layer. However, this would require a constant thickness per year for each interval. However, since this is most likely not the case, my next consideration was that the age must be the integral of a 1/λ(z) function, which I cannot model.
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